‘Hello, My Name Is Doris’ Is The Cringe Comedy We All Can Learn From

We usually turn to comedies as an escape, a way to forget about the events of our actual lives, and join fictional characters on a journey of silly circumstances. That’s not so much the case when it comes to Hello, My Name Is Doris though, which is just one of the reasons this film is so unique.

Available now on Hulu and Prime Video, Doris is just as funny as it is cringe-worthy. It will have you doing belly laughs as much as it will have you watching through your hands like a horror film because you’re just to scared to see what she does next.

Sally Field stars as Doris in a role she should’ve racked up shelves of awards for. As the sweet yet clueless woman who begins crushing on her younger co-worker (Max Greenfield, swoon), Doris is all of us. We’ve all had a crush, some of us even in our professional environments, and we’ve all had the dreadful feelings of both wondering if we have a chance, and simultaneously ignoring that tiny voice in our heads that say they’re out of our league, devising plans to make them fall head over heels anyway. Hello, My Name is Doris is about a woman who should know better, and perhaps she does, but she chases what she wants anyway. There’s not a single human on Earth that can’t take away a life lesson or two from this touching and charming film.

First of all, homegirl needs to check herself when it comes to daydreaming at work. It is never a good idea to let a crush get in the way of your job performance, or even your morning coffee routine. Doris is prone to many hilarious daydreams that leave her staring off into space, which is great fun for viewers but rather confusing and counter productive for Doris and her co-workers. Daydream away, but save it for after hours.

Second, get your social media game right. One of the most terrifying moments of the film comes when Doris plops herself in front of Facebook. You thought liking your crush’s photo on Instagram from 73 months ago was bad? Take a note from Doris and keep it together when you’re browsing online, and do not dig yourself into internet holes you can’t get yourself out of. Also, don’t hang on every word of every caption or instant message or tweet. They never mean that much.

Last, but of course the most important lesson at hand, be confident in who you are. Life is way too short to spend watching bands in Brooklyn you don’t really care about. “You’re a green ball of glowing light,” Peter Gallagher’s motivational speaker will tell Doris, and you, in this film. And we all know Peter Gallagher is always right. Dance how you want, dress how you want, and make it a general rule to not take advice from teens: they live in an entirely different world. Dating a younger man at work is rarely ever a good idea, so whether he reciprocates the feelings or not, it’s ok; Jack Antonoff will still probably think you’re cool.

Hello, My Name Is Doris is awkward and uncomfortable and so pleasantly heartwarming. This film remains relatable every step of the way, no matter how willing or not you are to admit it to yourself. It’s impossible not to let this story penetrate your heart, as the feelings of having an exciting crush lift you up to the sky and drag you crashing back down to Earth in an instant. Allow Doris to rip a hole in your heart, only to fill it right back up, and to serve as your reminder that love and letting go, in all their forms, are beautifully messy.